Novel electro-optic materials discovered

• Published in: Chemical & Engineering News Archive Vol. 72; no. 37; pp. 28 - 29
• Main Author: FREEMANTLE, MICHAEL
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington American Chemical Society 12.09.1994
• Subjects: 360606 - Other Materials- Physical Properties- (1992-); Abbott, Andrew P; Chemical industry; Chemical reactions; Chemistry; COMPLEXES; COPPER COMPLEXES; ELECTRIC POTENTIAL; ELECTRO-OPTICAL EFFECTS; ENERGY CONSERVATION; Energy efficiency; Glass & glassware industry; HEAT TREATMENTS; Innovations; Jenkins, Paul (chemist); Khan, Nadia S; MATERIALS; MATERIALS SCIENCE; OPENINGS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; R&D; Research & development; SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS; Semiconductors; TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES; WINDOWS; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 0009-2347; 2157-4936; 1520-605X
• DOI: 10.1021/cen-v072n037.p028

Researchers in the UK have discovered novel solid-state electro-optic materials that could herald the introduction of revolutionary types of glass and be used in energy saving systems. The materials are semiconducting organic and organometallic complexes that change their intensities of absorbance in the visible spectrum when an electric potential is applied across them. The discovery was made by Andrew P. Abbott, Paul R. Jenkins, and Nadia S. Khan at the University of Leicester. The group studied the complexes by electrolytically depositing them as thin films on indium-doped tin oxide-coated glass. They used a spectrophotometer to examine the change in absorbance as a potential was applied. Although excited by their discovery, the chemists are, like many other academic researchers in the UK, frustrated in their work by lack of funding.